Policy
Religious Freedom
Respecting human dignity requires that we respect the core elements of how people and groups identify themselves, including their religious beliefs. Religious belief has been a powerful motivation for protecting the rights and liberties of others; it kindled movements to abolish slavery and protect Americans’ civil rights. For millions of Americans, religion is the source of the values required in a free society, such as understanding, respect and sacrifice for others. Additionally, religious institutions provide irreplaceable care for the most vulnerable people in society.
For all of these reasons, the right to exercise religion is a fundamental human right. The law should respect the independence of religious institutions, defend the right of conscience, and protect the right of individuals to act on their religious beliefs, while establishing reasonable protections for public health and safety in a spirit of fairness for all.
Religious Freedom
Respecting human dignity requires that we respect the core elements of how people and groups identify themselves, including their religious beliefs. Religious belief has been a powerful motivation for protecting the rights and liberties of others; it kindled movements to abolish slavery and protect Americans’ civil rights. For millions of Americans, religion is the source of the values required in a free society, such as understanding, respect and sacrifice for others. Additionally, religious institutions provide irreplaceable care for the most vulnerable people in society.
For all of these reasons, the right to exercise religion is a fundamental human right. The law should respect the independence of religious institutions, defend the right of conscience, and protect the right of individuals to act on their religious beliefs, while establishing reasonable protections for public health and safety in a spirit of fairness for all.
Published Research
Conversations
Religion doesn't need a permission slip from the government
Religious freedom and conscience in higher education
Religious freedom, courts, and federalism in Utah | Bill Duncan
The benefit of religious contributions to society
How facts help provide a more positive perception of religion
How to persuade religious skeptics without preaching
Advice to the younger generation on the benefits of religion
Is religion good for society?
The facts about religion in America
Religion doesn't need a permission slip from the government
Religious freedom and conscience in higher education
Religious freedom, courts, and federalism in Utah | Bill Duncan
Insights & Takeaways
InsightsColorado’s troubling trend on religious liberty
In the last decade, Colorado has been the source of a disproportionate number of religious freedom cases because of state policies that do not accommodate religious practices of its citizens. The U.S. Supreme Court has twice struck down Colorado actions that...
ReportTalking about Religion in a Secular Age: How Religious “Nones” Perceive the Value of Religion
This report examines an experimental survey that enlightens our understanding of religiously unaffiliated Americans (“nones”) and their perceptions of religion’s societal role. Commissioned by Sutherland Institute and conducted by Heart+Mind Strategies from June 27...
InsightsWho’s accountable when religious freedom is violated?
The U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments Monday in a case where a former prisoner, forcibly shaved in violation of his religious vows, seeks financial compensation from the officials who violated his rights. While everyone seems to agree the official’s actions...
InsightsThe fragile joy of Sukkot and the renewal of Simchat Torah
The sukkah’s impermanence teaches that true security lies not in material walls but in moral ones: trust, community, and faith. Simchat Torah models democratic renewal, showing that strength comes from returning to foundational truths and beginning again. These...
ReportHow Religion Strengthens Family Life in a Fragmented Age: Religion and the American Experiment, Volume 3
A merican families are in peril. Since the end of the Cold War, divorce rates have elevated, marriage rates have plummeted, and multigenerational households have become rarities – though recent evidence offers hope that these trends may be changing for the better....
ReportHow Faith Communities Promote Societal Well-Being and Public Health: Religion and the American Experiment, Volume 2
America is in the midst of a profound health crisis that extends far beyond hospitals, prescriptions, and insurance systems. Rates of chronic disease remain stubbornly high, but the deeper emergency is more than physical. It is emotional, social, and spiritual. We...
CommentaryGeographic mobility: Its promises and discontents
Originally published in American Habits. Americans are a remarkably mobile collection of people. You might argue it’s in our DNA. By the time of our nation’s founding, the Western Hemisphere had already been swarmed by restless settlers who left their more...
InsightsFair Treatment of Religious Organizations Act: Protecting religious freedom at the national level
State legislatures and Congress have an essential role in protecting religious liberty by clarifying religious freedom protections to avoid costly litigation. The recently introduced Fair Treatment of Religious Organizations Act by Rep. Blake Moore would do this at...
InsightsDoes the most religious state need religious freedom protections?
Utah is a very religious state, but it also provides robust protections of religious freedom. In the 2026 Utah legislative session, three new religious freedom bills were approved, providing protections in the contexts of public college assignments, history...